Joker Slade
by LunaSoleil07
Summary: The Joker has come to visit the funeral of Tim Drake, the young Robin he killed. Robin (Grayson) tells Starfire that he saw under Slade's mask in the episode "Apprentice, part 2" and that Slade has returned. Hints of RobStar, BBRaven.
1. Funeral

"Joker," he hissed in anger. "Why are _you_ here?"

"Why Robin, can't I come and say good-bye to another of the Bat-Brats?" Joker asked, laughing maniacally.

"Not when _you_ are the one who helped put him here," Raven snapped.

A curiously subdued Beast Boy added, "You shouldn't be here."

Starfire's eyes flashed deep green, and only Robin's calming touch kept her back. "You are a... a... a grimwaag!" she yelled at the figure Robin's mentor and Gotham City's vigilante, Batman, had tried so hard to defeat, so many times.

"Why, Starfire, I'm hurt," Joker answered with an insane smile.

Cyborg, looking very much out of place in a somber suit that covered his more robotic parts, stepped forward. "I think," he said slowly, over enunciating every word, "you should go."

"I can see I am not wanted." With a final laugh, Joker melted into the shadows.

The five Titans watched him go, then turned their attention back to the last rites for Tim Drake's funeral.

"You will be avenged," Robin whispered. "I promise." His gloved hands tightened and clenched as he thought about what he would do to the bastard who had done this to his adopted little brother.

A tall figure stepped beside him and clasped a hand onto Robin's shoulder. "Dick," Bruce began. "It wasn't your fault, and it wasn't mine. Don't blame yourself. I know you thought of him as a little brother, just as I thought of the both of you as surrogate sons, and I know that you want to _kill_ Joker for doing this... but not yet. Bide your time. His punishment will come." Wayne's eyes narrowed and the shadow thrown across his face receded a little, showing the mask of hatred he wore.

"At my hands."

"So Batman says he's gonna kill the Joker for killing Tim. Then why are we goin' after him?!" Cyborg argued with his leader.

"Because, Cy," Robin answered in a cold, soft voice. "Joker killed my brother. He has to pay. I have to do this. If you don't want to, you don't have to come." Robin straightened slightly, bringing himself to his full height, which was quite a lot due to a growth spurt. His hair fell into his face, shading his eyes even more than his mask already did; since Tim's death, which was hardly more than fortnight past, Robin hadn't bothered trimming his fast-growing hair, nor had he gelled it since that time. Starfire privately thought that he was looking more and more like his future counterpart, Nightwing – the change didn't really bother her too much.

"I'm comin' with! I just don't see why you have to do it yourself. Can't you just trust Bruce to handle it?"

"The last time Bruce was gonna handle things," Robin replied, "my entire family ended up dead at the hands of Two-Face. I got to help him bring Two-Face down then. I'm bringing Joker down now." With that, Robin strode out of the room, leaving a confused teammate in his wake.

Outside Titans Tower, Raven was fighting the obstacle course. Her eyes flashed with each punch thrown, and a grim frown creased her mouth. Beast Boy watched her from where he was controlling the course, eyes mournful. He could see that she was clearly both enraged and saddened; ever since that little trip into her mind, he could see what mood she was in since he was now able to distinguish the little nuances of expression that Raven allowed through her mask. The last robot fell, and Raven knelt, trying to overcome the intense fatigue washing over her. Beast Boy went to her and helped her to stand. She smiled weakly at him as he supported her to the Tower.

In the Tower, Starfire winced as she tried to choke down more Pudding of Sadness. She had offered some to Beast Boy and Raven, but they had each declined in favor of tofu and herbal tea, respectively. It hurt her to see Robin in such pain over Tim's death, even though she knew that she, too, would surely mourn such a close friend just as much. Starfire swallowed the last of the Pudding down hard, and shivered as its terrible taste washed through her. She floated to the sink, placing her now-empty bowl inside, and then floated to their indoor training room. She knew that she would find Robin there.

"Robin?" she called timidly.

"I'm here, Star," he replied, grunting as he continued throwing punches at a well-battered bag hanging before him.

"Robin, will you not reconsider tonight's mission?"

"I can't, Star. I'm sorry, but Joker has to pay. And so does Slade." Contempt filled the young champion's voice at the thought of his nemesis.

"But Slade is gone, is he not?" Starfire asked, puzzled.

"No, Star. When someone is that evil, I don't think even death can stop them." He stilled the bag with one hand and turned away from the alien girl standing before him. He took a deep breath and asked her something.

"Do you remember," he asked softly, "when Slade made me his apprentice for, what was it, a week?"

"Yes, but..."

"Slade's mask fell off for half a second that night, Star. I saw who was beneath it. That face has haunted me in my dreams. Don't pretend that you can't hear me screaming at night." Robin turned to face Starfire. "The Joker was under that mask. Or rather, a sane version of the Joker. I guess there are two sides to everyone. It just so happens that the Joker's alter ego isn't good, he's sane." Robin's fists tightened.

"And knowing who he is, yet knowing that I still can't even _touch_ him... it's making _me_ crazier than he is." A grim smile crossed his face, but was gone within an eyeblink. "And that's saying something."

Later that night, Robin held a soft pencil in his hand and gently shaded one more side of a sketch he was working on laboriously. He'd spent enough time quizzing Starfire over it; it ought to be right _this_ time. He pulled slightly away from his drawing and looked at it critically. A smirk flashed on his face and he muttered, "Perfect." He took a lightweight yet sturdy fabric from beside him and quickly cut a pattern from it. He fitted opaque white eye panels into the eyeholes and looked at the mask he now had before him. It was sleeker, leaner, more angular and a bit narrower than his old one.

Grayson slowly reached up and pulled his old mask off. He stood in front of the full-length mirror on the back of his bathroom door and stared at his reflection.

"Blue eyes," he whispered to himself. "I'd almost forgotten that I have blue eyes." His piercing blue eyes glared back at themselves, and Richard smirked bleakly. He then stared at the new mask in front of him before finally lifting it and fitting it to his face; it melded to his features almost instantly. He shook back the hair that had fallen into his eyes before striding purposefully out of his room, the door slicking shut behind him.

"I will find you, Joker. That's a promise," Robin whispered to himself. He looked up at his teammates and said snappishly, "Let's roll."

Author Notes

Hey guys. First fic, but don't be gentle. I need comments as to if this should be ongoing or not. If no one comments, it's a one-shot; if someone comments that they want it kept going, it'll keep going.

Leave comments, or I'll sic my trained rabbit on you!

PS - flames welcome.


	2. Battle

Robin panted heavily, ignoring the sharp pain that kept stabbing in his torso. Earlier, Harley Quinn had landed a solid blow, which had probably bruised, if not broken, a rib or two. But the clown-girl was now down for the count, kept that way by the other Titans, while her "sweet Mr. J" didn't spare her a glance as he kept dodging Robin's attempted blows. The Titans knew Robin well enough not to interfere with the battle; this was Robin's fight to finish.

The Joker eventually danced out of reach long enough to taunt, "Egg-head, what do you think winning this little skirmish will do? Whatever you do will turn out to be the wrong choice..." His mocking smile grew wider, if possible. "If you don't eliminate me, this will never end. Imprison me; I'll escape. Let me go; I'll come back for you. Kill me: your golden reputation as the Boy Wonder will be sullied. It seems you have no other alternative, BratBoy."

Robin growled through gritted teeth, "You killed my brother."

That condescending smile burned itself into Robin's vision. "He was never _really_ your brother. Two-Face took care of you _real_ brother ages ago."

"Tim _was_ my brother," Robin said softly. He was doing exactly what he shouldn't have been doing; letting the Joker's words get to him. Psychological attacks were always more fun, from the Joker's point of view, and this fight was no different. As the villain wheedled and distracted, he was slowly sneaking closer to the only possible exit route.

"Batman adopted us both. I was the first, then Tim. We were his sons, his heirs, and we were brothers. Maybe not by blood, but we were brothers in one of the clearest senses." Robin suddenly realized that the Joker was on the verge of escaping, and he threw a Birdarang cleanly through the door handle, effectively locking the two of them in. When needed, the Titans could easily make an exit for themselves.

Robin reached around, wincing a couple of times because of his sore ribs, beneath his cape to his utility belt and took out his bo staff. He twisted the center, and it shifted, becoming longer at either end. He held it loosely by his side, an odd smirk twisting his features.

"Just you and me. _Slade_," Robin hissed.

For an instant, the insane façade slipped, showing emotions of surprise, shock, anger, resolve, and cunning, all within the space of a few seconds. Robin caught them all. Then the veneer of madness returned, and Joker laughed wildly. Though not as wildly, Robin noted, as he had before.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Boy Blunder. Maybe madness is catching." The rogue tried again to laugh, but faltered at Robin's unwavering gaze.

"Slade," Robin called again. "I know you're in there. Show yourself!"

Joker's features twisted into a face that Robin vaguely recognized. It was the face that had been revealed to him for only a moment the night that he gave Slade an ultimatum: heal the Titans, or lose an apprentice.

A grim sneer altered Robin's mouth and he spat out, "Welcome back." He added sarcastically, "We've all missed you terribly."

The voice that emanated from Joker's visage was the cold, smooth accent of Slade rather than the hyper, high-pitched enunciation of Joker.

"Robin," Joker/Slade greeted him. "How... _nice_ to see you again. Though I may be in this disgusting guise" the criminal glared down at his purple and green attire "you may rest assured that it is I within. I do not wish to test your wits with stupid questions as Riddler might, but I came because you called. What is it that you desire, dear little Robin?"

Robin tossed back his head to shake the hair from his eyes as he advanced upon Joker/Slade. "I _desire_ to know how you survived the magma you fell into when Terra accidentally created a volcano. I _desire_ to know if Terra's condition can be reversed, and if so, how I can do it. I _desire_ to know why the two of you are the same person. I _desire_ to know why you have chosen me, of all people, to torment. And I _desire_ to know why Joker killed Tim."

The crook's face remained stoic, but an eyebrow quirk revealed just how these questions affected him. He was disconcerted by Robin's tone and anger.

"Death does not affect me. A simple matter of technology and intellect has insured that _I cannot die_."

"What are we in, Harry Potter?!" Robin snapped. "Answer my questions," the teen vigilante whispered dangerously.

Cyborg glanced at the other Titans, worried about his friend and leader. He was acting crazy, as if he'd eagerly turn to violence or torture to get answers.

Slade answered leisurely, "What you saw destroyed in that magma was simply another of my drones. Terra can be revived out of her stone state, but I do not know how. If I did, she would certainly be fighting by my side at this moment. I am a part of Joker because, when Joker fell into that vat of chemicals all those years ago, they affected not only his features but also his mind, creating _me_. I do not torment you. And as for why Joker killed Tim... I need not say that that is a question for Joker."

Author Notes

Okay guys... I got four reviews! Yay me! And now to address them:

Rose Eclipse: Lovely review, m'dear. Thank you for recognizing the obvious DC Universe implications. But please note that Tim Drake is Grayson's _adopted_ brother. After Grayson's parents died, Wayne adopted him. Wayne did the same for Drake. And Robin is just Robin; that's why he can figure out the connection between Slade & Joker.

Mike9: There's a reason that this site is called _fanfiction_. Not everything here will be canon. Deal with it. No, this is not rude, this is normal.

Madi( ): Aw! You're so sweet! You get... you get a passing grade in English!!!

maroonedpirate11: Wow, I can't believe I messed that up. Thanks so much, but I've based most of my fic on it being Tim that died... Thanks for catching that, but since this is fanfic (not canon), I don't think I'll change it.

I love you guys! Passing English grades all around!


	3. Reactions

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the TeenTitans. Suing me will result in NOTHING!! --_crazy whacked-out maniac laughter--_

_Guys, this is an extREEEMly short update, and I'm sorry. I understand if you hate it._

**Last time:** Slade answered leisurely, "What you saw destroyed in that magma was simply another of my drones. Terra can be revived out of her stone state, but I do not know how. If I did, she would certainly be fighting by my side at this moment. I am a part of Joker because, when Joker fell into that vat of chemicals all those years ago, they affected not only his features but also his mind, creating _me_. I do not torment you; I merely test you. And as for why Joker killed Tim… I need not say that that is a question for Joker."

**Now:** "Then bring him before me," Robin ordered, eliciting a look of surprise from the Titans, who had never before heard Robin speak like that to anyone.

"Gladly." Slade's voice became a crescendo, heightening to the painful tones of Joker.

The moment that Joker had returned, Robin leapt forward with a yell. Just as he was within striking reach of Joker, he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. His eyes rolled up into his head and he pitched backward, caught by Cyborg.

"Sorry, Rob," the metal**-**man sorrowfully stated. "But it had to be done. And as for you," he began, looking for Joker and Harley Quinn. But the two were nowhere to be found.

Back at Titans' Tower, Robin was recovering from the heavy blow Cyborg had dealt him.

"Where am I?" he groaned.

"T Tower, dude. How's your head?" Beast Boy asked.

"Feels like a metal man just popped me upside the head," Robin snapped back, glaring in Cy's general direction. "But you guys got Joker and Quinn, right?"

The other four Titans looked away guiltily. "_Right_?" Robin asked again, more urgently this time.

"Actually… Robin, I'm sorry. But they got away," Raven told him in her usual monotone.

"Yes, but do not worry, dear comrade!" Starfire eagerly reassured him. "We shall soon catch up to them, and they shall not get away so easily this time!"

Robin shook his head. "Guys, I can't believe you stopped me from attacking Joker. We're supposed to be a _team_," he emphasized. "But if we can't act like a team, then maybe we're _not_ a team."

"Robin, where are you going with this?" Beast Boy asked in a worried voice.

Robin turned away from them all, staring out at the ocean visible through one of their many full**-**length windows. "I'm saying that maybe it's time that we go our separate ways, Beast Boy," he replied in a very soft voice.

"**_What?!_**" Four different voices rose in a disbelieving crescendo as their leader kept staring out of the window impassively.

**--**Author's Notes**--**

I'm so so so so SO freaking sorry that it's taken me this long to update this fic. If no one is even reading this anymore, I completely understand. It's just that I've been working more on my original fiction, with less time for my fanfiction. I have a fictionpress account, if anyone would like to see what has kept me away from this fic so long: Please, if anyone is still reading this, review. Blessed be, _Luna_


	4. Even More Reactions

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Teen Titans. But I _do_ own all four comic action figure sets! Woohoo!

**Last time:** Robin suggested the team splitting up. Reactions occur in this chapter.

**Currently:**

"Dude," Beast Boy started frantically, "you cannot be serious!" He stumbled blindly to the couch, dropping his face into his hands dejectedly. His muffled voice came out in a wave of pain and no little rage: "You're destroying our team! I don't want to be alone… Not again." Raven floated over and, to the surprise of the other Titans, gently touched Gar on his shoulder.

"Gar," she hissed in a soft voice. When his emerald eyes locked with her own amethyst gaze, she reached a hand out, sweeping his hair back. "You will never be alone," she whispered.

Cy turned away from the obviously private moment, choosing to whistle nonchalantly instead. He glanced around for Robin and Starfire, but they were nowhere to be seen. Unnoticed to them, Star and Robin had left the room mere moments before to enter the hallway at Robin's request.

Once there, Robin slid to the ground in a gloomy manner before asking a very odd question. "Star?" He paused for a moment, waiting for Starfire to turn her attention to him. "Star, have you ever seen the colour of my eyes?"

Starfire slowly shook her head, clearly confused. "No, friend-Robin. You forbade us from ever encountering your visage by choice."

Robin paused again in an attempt at discerning exactly what she'd just said. "I know," he told her once he'd figured it out. "But… Here." He pulled off his mask, letting his cool blue gaze burrow into Starfire's shining eyes. Starfire put a hand to her mouth, first in shock, but then smothering a laugh.

Grayson narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What's so funny?" he challenged her.

"You have…" Starfire finally let a laugh escape. "I have heard that Earth-girls often pay to have their lashes permanently curled, and it makes me wonder if any of them have ever asked to buy yours."

Dick smiled half-heartedly as he realized what she was saying. "I know, Star. But no, no one has ever asked to buy my eyelashes. But that might be because you're the first person since Bruce to actually know that I have long lashes."

Starfire finally sobered. "I do not wish to call you Robin when you are without your mask. It does not seem to fit. But what should I call you, then?"

A slightly ironic smile touched at the corners of his mouth and he replied, "Call me Dick."

-Author's Notes-

Weeeeeeeeeeeeee! I'm ba-_ack_! Yes, you may all cower in fear before my return! I don't know why I'm so hyper, but… whatever. Anyway, you guys know the drill. Reviews are good; you don't have to face my wrath if you submit a review. Blessed be, _Luna_


	5. Blushes and Smiles

A/N: Sorry for the _**laaaate**_ update. This one has a bit on Titans East. Cyborg returned to Teen Titans Central (my own term), so who took his place? My own imagination. 

"Dick." Starfire tilted her head to the side, trying the word out in her mouth as one might do with a new food. "Di-_ick_," she emphasized. "Dik. _Di_-ick. Di…" Her last attempt Grayson cut off by laying a gloved hand across her lips.

"Star," he whispered, his smile growing slightly, "it's just Dick." Starfire smiled in return.

"All right, then, Dick."

Cyborg, meanwhile, was having trouble ignoring Beast Boy and Raven now. Beast Boy had reached up and grabbed Raven's caressing hand, and used it to pull her down onto his lap. The changeling had then begun kissing Raven, who had yet to pull away from him.

"_Thank_ you, _whoever_'s looking out for me," the hybrid muttered to himself as the alarm blared on their screen. He tapped in the access code and watched Jinx appear on the monitor.

"Hey, Cy," she chattered impatiently. "Listen up; Titans East has got some major trouble. Some idiot calling himself the Joker has been robbing some of the banks on our side, but our police department has told us to lay off. Chief says something about him being from Gotham, out of jurisdiction."

"Gotcha. We'll take care of it, Jinx." A smile flitted across his face and he told her, "I'll be seeing you this weekend, right?"

Jinx smirked and shrugged in a very sinuous cat-like movement. "Depends on how you make out, Stone." Her eyes widened suddenly in shock as Beast Boy and Raven caught her gaze. "Jeez, looks like _they're_ making out just fine," she spluttered.

Cyborg shook his head. "_Don't_ remind me. Cyborg out." He cut the connection.

Robin walked in, holding Starfire's hand. "What happened, Cyborg? What was the alarm?"

"Jinx," he answered nonchalantly as he turned to see his leader. "Whoa!" Cyborg gasped out as he met his friend's eyes for the first time.

Beast Boy finally looked up from Raven's mouth long enough to note the change. "Dude!" he cried. "You're not wearing the mask!"

Raven also looked up and arched a sarcastic eyebrow. "Nice," she commented and floated off Beast Boy's lap.

Robin narrowed his eyes at the suddenly expressive girl. "Raven, I thought you couldn't show emotion," he challenged.

"I can't," Raven replied in a monotone. Then a hint of a smile quirked at her lips and she admitted, "Unless… Well, I can show _physical_ emotion to Cyborg or Beast Boy, thanks to that field trip through my mind they took."

Beast Boy stole up behind her and wrapped her into an embrace, resting his chin on her head. He had shot up in height and now stood a full head over the half-demon. Raven sighed softly and settled back into his arms. The changeling nuzzled the side of her head lovingly.

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Uhh… How long has this been going on?" he asked, indicating the two tangled up together.

Beast Boy blushed – that is, if you can call his fur becoming a deeper shade of green blushing – and mumbled embarrassedly, "Well… I don't really know."

"That long?" Robin laughed. He looked down into Starfire's emerald eyes and smiled, ignoring the hair that fell into his face with the motion.

"What is it that Jinx wanted, Cyborg?" Starfire broke in after giving Robin a dazzling smile.

"Oh yeah! Robin, you'll be happy to hear this!" Cyborg leaned forward conspiratorially. "Titans East has a lead on the Joker!"

"Then what're we waiting for!" Robin sprang into action, slapping his mask onto his face again. "Titans… go!"

Raven and Starfire streaked off through the entrance, closely followed by Beast Boy in hawk form, while Robin and Cyborg darted into the garage entrance. Seconds later, the R Cycle and the T-Car burst through their respective doors and followed the other Titans members.

Robin leaned over his bike, urging the motor to a higher and higher acceleration. _'Come on, come on,'_ he prayed. _'Please, don't let this chance get away.'_

Author's Notes---

Okay, I admit it: I'm stuck. If anyone has any ideas for me, I'd be delighted to hear them. Thanks to my reviewers –you guys that keep this thing alive; without you, I wouldn't be writing this still. And thanks to my dad (though he never reads this) for getting me into comics in the first place. Blessed be, _Luna_


	6. To Whom It May Concern:

To whom it may concern i.e., all you **phantom readers** and _lovely_ reviewers:

Continuity of this fic will cease from this point on... unless by some work of God my schoolwork completes itself, my term paper writes itself, choir ceases to exist, my novel editor stops demanding that I meet deadlines, and my Theatre teacher disappears in a puff of blue and yellow smoke.

I apologize for the spastic updates, but you now know that I have no time with which to finish this fic. If anyone would like to take on that task, I urge you to e-mail me **_with ideas_**, but preferably with a fully completed storyline already in hand. No, I will not give you my outline to work with; those ideas are my own, and some of them are going into my novel.

If anyone has any questions, then please e-mail me. And, in regards to the "**phantom readers**" reference: you know who you are. You are the ones who read a story, but do not review, or acknowledge in any way, shape, or form that you have been to the story. We authors post things on this site for a _reason_, for acknowledgement and feedback on our writing style from peers. It would be nice if you -- and, as stated before, _**you know who you are**_ -- gave us a few words of encouragement, of suggestion on how to better our stories.

Thanks for all the memories, kids. And the lovely reviews.

In all respect,  
_Luna_


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